Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Caracas Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Caracas

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,187 in Caracas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $2,010 in Caracas, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,833 in Caracas, rent included.

Medellin is about 13% cheaper than Caracas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Caracas are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Caracas 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$12.20 VES 8,967

-49.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$54.2 VES 39.8K

-39.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$10.13 VES 7,445

-27.54%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.52 VES 1,854

-31.75%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.32 VES 969

-20.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.95 VES 701

-18.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.53 VES 1,122

10.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.92 VES 2,143

8.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.86 VES 1,368

-43.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$2.76 VES 2,028

-52.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.42 VES 1,043

-1.41%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.84 VES 2,091

-23.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$9.98 VES 7,339

-56.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$7.31 VES 5,375

-19.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.40 VES 5,439

16.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$5.33 VES 3,919

-57.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.84 VES 1,354

-39.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.28 VES 1,673

-32.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.99 VES 1,460

-32.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.70 VES 1,988

-58.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.06 VES 1,515

-45.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.34 VES 985

-36.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.97 VES 1,446

-53.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.96 VES 2,907

-40.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$12.20 VES 8,966

1.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.52 VES 1,114

-21.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.98 VES 1,453

25.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.79 VES 578

6.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$30.41 VES 22.4K

33.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$4.87 VES 3,577

-70.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$2.71 VES 1,995

-29.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$9.95 VES 7,317

-23.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.51 VES 376

94.12%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$24.7K VES 18.2M

-27.14%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$40.0K VES 29.4M

-33.36%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$19.82 VES 14.6K

307.72%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$13.26 VES 9,745

-24.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$39.50 VES 29.0K

-38.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$67.9 VES 49.9K

-63.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$15.57 VES 11.4K

22.99%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.09 VES 4,475

-34.65%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$305 COP 993.4K

$130 VES 95.4K

135.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$5,392 VES 4.0M

12.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$63.5 VES 46.7K

-8.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$39.35 VES 28.9K

-18.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$104 VES 76.5K

-3.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$113 VES 83.1K

-4.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$453 VES 333.2K

5.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$367 VES 269.9K

2.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$983 VES 722.3K

-14.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$840 VES 617.8K

-13.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,480 VES 1.1M

117.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$666 VES 489.5K

106.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$307 VES 225.4K

101.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

21.33

-37.04%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Caracas: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $453 in Caracas. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 101% higher in Medellin, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $54.0 in Caracas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $286 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Caracas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Caracas is pricier by about 15%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,780 in Caracas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 33% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $130 in Caracas. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Caracas at $1,187. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Caracas it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Caracas makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.